Theme: Rising to the Challenge

TEDxWoosongUniversity is an independently organized event that is designed to provide a platform where the thought leaders and thinkers in the Woosong community and beyond can make a difference and share their ideas.

How can we turn the seemingly impossible into possibilities? How can we rise and take on the opportunities availed to us? Under the theme “Rising to the Challenge”, a diverse range of speakers from within and outside the Woosong community will explore some of the fundamental issues and challenges in their sphere of influence. Through these talks, we hope that new ways of thinking will be instigated on how to tackle some of the biggest social, education, development, global or even individual challenges.

Auditorium, SolBridge International School of Business
28, Uam-ro (151-13, Samsung-dong)
4th floor
Dongu, Daejeon Gwang'yeogsi, 34613
South Korea

Aarti Narotam

Educator + Artist + Philanthropist

Currently an ESL educator in South Korea, Aarti Narotam hails from South Africa and holds the philanthropic title of Miss Nelson Mandela Bay 2018. Her passions involve Indian dance, drama, writing and education. She is a professional performing artist and enjoys creating her own works that strive to share stories through theatre encompassing themes of femininity and identity. She holds a Masters Degree in Scriptwriting; Bachelor of Commerce (Law) Degree, Licentiate in Performing Arts, Diploma in Performing Arts and a Diploma in Bharata Natyam. She strives to uplift humanity through cultivating her interests in meditation, spirituality and mindfulness. These are practises she is passionate about instilling in her methods as an educator. Her career highlights include performing for and meeting former South African president Mr Nelson Mandela as well as creating her own trilogy of one-woman plays entitled “Devadasi – a dancer’s journey from the temple to the streets…”.

Hye Lim Jeon

Student, SolBridge International School of Business

After working at Medytox, a Biopharmaceutical company, Hye Lim needed to make a difficult decision: continue working in the company or pursue further education. She decided to pursue education which she is passionate about and values to high regard. She is a sophomore at SolBridge International School of Business majoring in Finance and minoring in Data Analytics. She currently works as a Research Assistant for two professors and a member of SolBridge Debate Society. She is also the host of SolBridge podcast that brings in students and professors to share their stories and lifestyles. Since Hye Lim was born in South Korea and immigrated to the USA when she was six-years-old, where she spent her early adolescent years, she has found joy in learning about different cultures and their dynamics. She has become acquainted with various cultures and created friendships across the globe, but she has been fascinated and has fallen in love with two of her very own: Korean and American.

Jaenin Deskin

Assitant Professor, Woosong University

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Jaenin Deskin, moved to Savannah, Georgia where she worked in foster care because her passion is for helping people, teaching, and giving back. Family is also very important to her - she is a mother a wife. Since her arrival in Korea she has taught ESL and partnered with other teachers to write several workbooks at Yeungjin College - DGEV. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor at Woosong University and has gained recognition for her contribution to research through the Woosong Joint Research Program. Jaenin is known under the artistic name of #DreamedMyReality, where she encourages others to live out their dreams, despite the challenges they may face.

John A. Riley

General Education Programs Coordinator + Assistant Professor, SolBridge International School of Business

John A. Riley received his PhD in film and media studies from Birkbeck College, University of London. Since completing his studies he has lived in Georgia and South Korea, and continued to research, publish, and lecture on a wide range of topics including the films of Andrei Tarkovsky, the new wave of Georgian women documentary makers, and the cult TV series Twin Peaks. In his teaching, he advocates learner autonomy and a genre-based approach to reading and writing. When not working he is involved in amateur theatre; his first play The End of the Pier Show was performed in Daejeon in June 2019.

Kevin Nickolai

Continuous Professional Development Assistant + Assistant Professor, Woosong University

Kevin Nickolai writes stuff and sometimes does artsy stuff, but mostly just likes to travel around and take selfies. More specifically Nickolai is a published illustrator, author, poet, and app developer. This playwright specializes in poetry, puzzles, propaganda, posters, and portraits. He is the illustrator for poet Ralph Wright’s “Wild”, “Wilder”, and “Wildest”. He is the author of the obscure textbook, “Give a Damn about English”. Along with genius collaborator Wil Pertz he is the creator of the app “Kevin’s Proverbs”. Nickolai is a poster artist who contributes to the wonderful Daejeon Arts Collective. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Teacher Award at Woosong University for 2016 and 2019. He is luckily married to the artist and writer Monica Nickolai who he regularly collaborates with as a voice actor.

Sarah Abigail Schlesinger

Jack of All Trades

Born and raised in New York City, Sarah's zeal for communication pushed her to become multilingual: she is fluent in English and Spanish, with some ability in Hebrew, Chinese, and Korean. Sarah has been a professional performer since her youth, beginning her career with the Youth Manhattan Class Company, and having an original play published by Samuel French and showcased on Broadway at New World Stages after winning a competition at age 14. By age 21, Sarah had graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a BA in Theatre Arts and achieved the rank of Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. She continued professional acting, improv comedy, and fight choreography while living in both the USA and UK. Sarah is also a NYS Licensed Massage Therapist with an OS Degree and has worked professionally in that field with a focus on medical massage styles. Above all, she is an impassioned intersectional feminist who believes that progressive issues are worth fighting for.

Stefano Virgilli

Entrepreneur

Stefano Virgilli is an Italian entrepreneur who ventured in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Southeast Asia, leading and/or participating close to 30 businesses and startups. Stefano is trained in design and communication, holding over 80 certifications in software for photo editing, video production, web design, publishing and e-learning. He wrote a design book titled "The Promise of Empty Spaces" and children book called "Liger and Tigon". Stefano is also a songwriter and an avid traveller, having visited close to 60 countries. He is currently based in Singapore and operating as CEO of Pocket Money, a startup aiming to empower differently banked communities in emerging markets.